Slow Burning
by dr100
Summary: Sir Christopher of Six-Delta joins the Doctor and Clara on an adventure across all of space and time. But who is Christopher and what's he running from? Only time will tell...
1. Chapter 1: The Hunt

Doctor Who: Slow Burning

Chapter One: The Hunt

By Nathan Mullins

* * *

Christopher ran on through the night. On and on, his heart pumping wildly as he shot on through the trees, jumping across streams and keeping his wits about him at all times. He was being followed by a monster, a creature of instinct. It knew how to find him using all its senses but Christopher would not allow it. He was fast.

He stopped suddenly. His shoe laces had come undone. He knew if he stayed in one place for long enough the creature would find him. He could hear it grunting some way in the distance. Still there was time. But for what? To be eaten by the monster? He ignored the very fact that his shoe laces were untied and ran further into the woods.

It was night time. The moon glowed high above the tops of the trees. Christopher tried his hardest not to make a sound, though he was breathing heavily and needed to rest. The pursuit continued. Then he came to a halt. Ahead of him stood an ancient old box he knew didn't belong to his time. It was a time and space shelter.

He walked up to it slowly. Despite his haste in fleeing the carnivorous beast - this was a welcome distraction, something to take his mind off the dread and dishonour. He would die running and seen to run away was laughable. Still it didn't matter. Not to Christopher - a man of adventure living in a world of fantasy.

It was fun to imagine the blue box could in fact save his life. He was beginning to question what a tardis could possibly be doing in the woods of PB Six-delta. Then he reached the doors and they suddenly creaked open. He entered without looking back and the doors closed behind him. It was dark at first and then the lights came on.

Christopher stared in amazement at the sheer size of the console room. The shiny controls that glistened when touched and lit up in the presence of the stranger. Then a girl appeared. She stopped dead on the stairs watching him as he embraced his surroundings. "Doctor!" she bellowed. Christopher looked around and saw her calling for her friend, who hurried up the steps behind her waving his sonic screwdriver.

"What are you doing aboard the tardis?" he yelled. "Who are you and... where are we?"

Christopher held his hands above his head and then shook it when the Doctor asked him where they were.

"You mean you don't know?" he asked the Doctor. "But this is a tardis - a time capsule. You must know where you are?"

"I'm afraid not," replied the girl. Her name was Clara. "The tardis has been known to do this sort of thing..."

Christopher glanced at the age old controls and then back at the Doctor and Clara.

"You must both be adventurers in space and time!" he declared. "I'm pleased to meet you. My name is Sir Christopher of Six-Delta. That's where you are, by the way."

The Doctor shuddered at the answer. He turned to Clara and whispered, - "Prepare to disembark. We're in danger here."

"Tell me something new," she replied. The Doctor watched her go and then moved closer towards Christopher. He held out his hand for the stranger to shake. He did so with some gusto. "A man I can trust I think," mumbled the Doctor. "We're leaving for Scotland!" he said, boldly. "Won't you join us?" Christopher nodded enthusiastically. "Yes," he agreed, gladly. "I think I will..."

To be continued...


	2. Chapter 2: The Hurt

Doctor Who: Slow Burning

Chapter Two: The Hurt

By Nathan Mullins

* * *

The Doctor could tell Christopher was relieved to have found him. The stranger was recovering in an 'ease chamber' aboard the tardis. A kind of zero room to restore his strength. It gave off a sense of fulfilment. It was healing.

So where in the galaxy is 'Six-Delta?" asked Clara. "Is it far from Earth?"

"Quite far," replied Christopher. "It's a blip in the milky way but...I have been to Scotland."

"Strange," muttered Clara. "Why Scotland?"

"It just agreed with me," answered Christopher. "That is where we're going, isn't it?"

Clara hopped up off the bench next to Christopher.

"I think so," she said. "I'll go and see." She waved to her friend and let him be. She closed the door behind her and wandered up the steps to the console. There she found the Doctor reading the tardis manual.

"Any good?" he asked, looking over the pages of the book at Clara.

"The zero room seems to be having some effect," she explained. "I see you found the manual then..."

The Doctor frowned and hid behind the written word of the most complicated of ships in the universe.

"It's not what I'd call a good read," he responded. "Too many words, not enough pictures. A Time Lord needs a diagram every now and then!"

The blue box rattled as it geared up for dematerialisation. It shook Clara from side to side as she ran to hold on to something. The Doctor was up on his feet attempting to bring the tardis under control. Christopher realised something wasn't right when the lights in the zero room switched off - stopping him from feeling good about what he had done. He got up and walked out.

The Doctor held down the stabilizers and the box went quiet - the engines now just a background murmur. But there was something else. A growling, grunting sound coming from outside. Christopher had reached the stairs to the console and began to climb them. He could hear the noises too.

"Nobody open those doors," he bellowed.

The Doctor turned around to face the new boy - Christopher.

"Would you mind telling us why?"

Christopher glanced at Clara who smiled and gave him the thumbs up.

"I was followed," he replied, -"by a monster, a creature of instinct, but it's after me and me alone. It will stop at nothing, I tell you!"

Suddenly the tardis swung left, then right as the creature stood up on its hind legs and, with all its might took the tardis with its spongy arms and flung it further into the woods.

"Hold on!" shouted the Doctor, as he rushed to help Clara who had taken the plunge first and was now unconscious.

To be continued...


	3. Chapter 3: Lost

Doctor Who: Slow Burning

Chapter Three: Lost

By Nathan Mullins

* * *

"This is my fault," muttered Christopher, annoyed with himself for allowing this to have happened. "If only I had steered clear of your ship, Doctor, I..."

The Doctor stood up from examining Clara. "It's alright," he said, softly. "Clara's going to be just fine. It's the tardis I'm worried about!"

Christopher looked over the controls. "They are pretty old, aren't they!" he stated.

"That's my ship your talking about!" replied the Doctor. "She may be old but she gets me to places!"

The tardis lurched from side to side as the monster threw it about the woods.

The Doctor held on to the rail surrounding the console for dear life. "What did you say that thing was again?" he asked.

Christopher shook his head. "I didn't!" he yelled. "Whatever it is lives on this planet and hunts whatever it can to survive!"

"Let's hope the tardis can resist being crunched in half by this things giant teeth!" declared the Doctor. "It must be huge!" He tried a lever next to him. "Nothing's working," he grumbled. "Let's try the secondary console unit!"

He freed himself from the railings and rushed down the stairs to the lower levels. He called back too Christopher. "Are you coming or aren't you?

Christopher looked back at Clara who wasn't going anywhere anytime soon. He nodded and followed close behind him. But not long after they'd disappeared, Clara stirred on the floor of the time vessel, the pain in her head throbbing.

She realised she had passed out but the console room was empty. As she tried to stand, she heard the roar of the beast outside. She edged closer to the doors, opening them slightly before quickly tumbling out. She fell on the grass under the shadow of the creature responsible for her fall.

"Doctor!" she called, hoping her friend would come to her rescue but then realised what a mistake it was to be shouting so loud when her attacker stood over her playing with the tardis. Then she noticed it stopped, plonked the tardis down on the ground and glared at the girl. It roared again. Clara began to back away slowly but she was too late. A hand came crashing down beside her, and then another until she had nowhere else to go.

The Doctor and Christopher had arrived at their destination.

"This is extraordinary," said Christopher. "This is an exact copy of the console room!"

"Your right," nodded the Doctor. "It is." He tapped for digits into the programmer and waited for something to happen. There was a clink and a shudder and then alarm bells began to sound. "What does it mean?" he muttered, trying to think.

"What should have happened Doctor?"

The Doctor turned to Christopher. I was trying to bring Clara here, transporting her from the main console room to this one but I can't..."

"Because you don't know how to fly her?"

"What? Clara?" he barked. Christopher shook his head. "Oh...you mean the ship? I'm beginning to," he replied, "but everything's working fine... I just fear Clara isn't."

To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4: Saving Clara

Doctor Who: Slow Burning

Chapter Four: Saving Clara

By Nathan Mullins

* * *

Clara was standing in the palm of a giant's hand.

"I demand you put me down this instant!" she yelled. "What do you want with the tardis anyway?"

The giant - a huge creature - half man, half animal stared at Clara with big bulging eyes and replied - "It is new to this world."

"That's because we've only just arrived!" she told him. "It would be new - or at least to you it would be anyway."

"And what is your purpose?" bellowed the giant. "Mine is too feast, - not to starve."

"Mine is to protect the Doctor," replied Clara. "I'm his 'impossible girl'.

The creature glared at her for a moment. It almost laughed but refrained from doing so. Instead it asked, - "Where is Sir Christopher of PB Six-Delta?"

Clara looked back at the tardis. "He's in there!" she replied. "He's probably dead though now."

"I hope not," moaned the giant. "I would like to face him in combat. Nobody escapes Delta alive without a fight."

"I think you might be too late!" cried the Doctor, standing in the doors of his ship. He ran out at full speed towards the creature holding Clara and used his sonic screwdriver to tickle the giant until he released Clara.

"Enough of this tomfoolery!" declared the creature. "Stop this at once!"

Clara squirmed free from the hands of the giant carefully climbing down his long legs into the arms of the Doctor.

"How're you doing that?" asked Clara. The Doctor looked at her and smiled. "Good vibrations," he winked. "Come along!" he said as they hurried aboard the tardis. "We're getting out of here!"

Christopher was standing at the controls facing the Doctor as they entered the tardis. He shut the doors once Clara was aboard and prepared for take off.

"Are you sure you know how to fly this thing?" yelped the Doctor, as the creature outside began to roar with terror.

"Just about," his friend answered, as he let go of the hand brake. Suddenly the console lit up and the lights flickered. The central column began to go up and down. And the blue box slowly faded from the surface of Six-Delta. The giant stopped in its tracks as it hurled itself at the object. Christopher had done it.

"To Scotland then!" belched the Doctor. "Oh well done, Sir Christopher!" He shook the man by the hand and congratulated him. "Only in Scotland will we uncover the truth." Christopher wandered across the console room to Clara. "What 'truth'?" he asked. "I think the Doctor has some explaining to do," she answered.

To be continued...


	5. Chapter 5: Hands up

Doctor Who

Chapter Five: Hands up

By Nathan Mullins

* * *

The tardis had landed - again - this time on Earth and in Scotland in the present day. It was cold out. The blue box had landed on board an open back truck - heading into the Scottish highlands. On the side of the truck read the words: UNIT - and the driver had already glimpsed his 'cargo'.

He knew what the blue box was and who it belonged to. Still he drove on. He was heading home but there was one thing left to do on the way. He suddenly stopped the truck. He reached for a bag left on the passenger seat beside him and pulled out a pistol. He loaded it and then tucked it away again before driving on.

"I think you've put us down nicely," said the Doctor, as he pat Christopher on the back. "I'd like to know if we've actually arrived in Scotland. If we have...well...I think I'd throw a party!"

"So what's to stop you?" asked Clara. The Doctor shot her a look of concern. "Do I really look the party-thrower type?" he grumbled. "Besides we're in Scotland visiting old friends. We haven't time to party!"

He wandered across the console room to the doors and looked out. "Seems we're where we should be," he mused. Clara joined him and looked out. "We're moving!" she said, looking down over the side of something with wheels. "We're on top of something!"

"Told ya I could land this thing!" yelled Christopher from the console.

"You certainly did," replied Clara. "You've put us down on a truck!"

"Not any old truck," said the Doctor. He stepped off from the tardis. "This belongs to UNIT and I guess it's where we're going."

"Old friends?" wondered Clara. She looked around at her friend. "So you knew we were going to land on a truck company owned by UNIT and that it would take us to their headquarters?"

The Doctor glared at her and shook his head. "If I did," he said - his eyes bearing down on her, "that would have been awesome!" He found a stool to sit on as the truck bobbed along.

"So this was pure coincidence?" asked Clara. "Nothing strange about it?"

"Well not quite," began the Doctor. "You see when I said we were visiting old friends, I didn't in fact mean UNIT."

Christopher had now joined them and closed the doors to the tardis behind him.

"So if you didn't mean we were coming here to be whisked off by UNIT, whoever they are... who did you bring us here to see?"

"I had hoped my old friend Jamie but wrong period. I was sort of wishing the tardis would get it wrong but she doesn't. Not any more. There's a mystery - here in Scotland - that needs solving and I figured I was the right man for the job!

With the Doctor rambling on, neither had noticed the truck had stopped and a man was slowly sneaking up on them. He had a pistol in one hand and a picture in the other. The picture was of the Doctor.

"Right you lot!" he bellowed, - "hands where I can see them."

To be continued...


	6. Chapter 6: Working for UNIT

Doctor Who

Chapter Six: Working for UNIT

By Nathan Mullins

* * *

The Doctor hopped up startling the driver.

"Hello!" he roared, eyes fixed on the solider. "I'm the Doctor!"

The driver who was in fact wearing a soldier's uniform spat at the stranger.

"I know who you are!" he grumbled. "I work for UNIT!"

"Yes I know," said the Doctor. "The car, the clothes, everything about you speaks volumes except your manner!"

"What do you mean by that?" the solider muttered. "Who are you to judge me?"

The Doctor straightened up and answered, - "I used to work for UNIT in a big way. And I'm respected. I have friends at the very top. You step out of line and you're out!" He was backed up by his friends who stood at both sides of the Doctor. "Now drop the gun and drive us to UNIT HQ!"

The truck sped along at some speed with the Doctor and friends sat beside the tardis on the back. "Doesn't seem too friendly, does he?" mumbled the Doctor. "I wonder what's agitated him?"

"Stress of work perhaps?" wondered Clara. "Or something to do with your arrival?"

"Could be both," replied Christopher. "What did you say we came here for?"

The Doctor looked up at the tardis and then back at his friends. "To visit old friends," he answered.

"Does that include Captain Grumpy driving us to UNIT headquarters?"

The Doctor shook his head. "Excluding him," he said, chuckling. "Kate Lethbridge Stewart and a few others."

"What's this about Doctor?"

The truck screeched to a halt. The driver jumped out from the front of the vehicle. "You three," he yelled. "Time to get off!"

The Doctor cut Christopher a look of dread. "You're about to find out!" he declared.

First to climb down from the truck was Clara who quickly surveyed her surroundings and realised none of them were where they should be.

"Doctor!" she muttered. "Look!"

Once he had made it down from the truck, the Doctor stopped and stared at his friend, taking the hint something was wrong.

"Something the matter?" asked the driver. "You know...I'm not really who I say I am."

Where the Doctor and friends had been driven was not UNIT HQ. They were in fact in a quarry in the middle of nowhere.

"Who are you working for?" demanded the Doctor. "Whose orders are you acting under?"

"Only my own," replied the driver. He suddenly began to peel at his face, the skin coming away and revealing yet another more fragile face beneath it. The man whose face was now really his own was known to the Doctor.

"Don't you recognise me now, Doctor?"

Fully revealed, the driver had turned out to be the Master who had returned to do battle with the Doctor.

_To be continued..._


End file.
